Eating Habits
by pancakesareking
Summary: Yaoi. [TsumeToboe] Sequel to "Sleeping Habits." Toboe has hunger pains while waiting for Kiba and Hige to return with some food. And then, there is bread.


1**Title:** Eating Habits

**Pairing:** Toboe/Tsume

**Summary:** Sequel to "Sleeping Habits." Toboe has hunger pains while waiting for Kiba and Hige to return with some food.

**Author's Notes:** This takes place probably a day after "Sleeping Habits." This time, I actually have a setting, and this may or may not be longer than the first one. Oh, well. I just needed to come out of my writing funk, and Wolf's Rain was the perfect remedy. Ah, I feel so much better. Sorry for any typos. I just sat down to write this, with a "fuk all" attitude. Tee-hee.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Wolf's Rain or any of the characters. I'll get over it.

Here we go...

**Eating Habits**

The harsh wind is merciless all throughout the city, and the only thing worse are the hunger pains. Toboe, huddled between Tsume and an empty garbage can, is sure that if he relinquishes the bear hug he's giving his own stomach the pain will engulf him. He really, really doesn't want to be engulfed by the pain.

He's trying to keep his mind off of the pain by wondering just what's taking so long for Kiba and Hige to return from their search for food. Some of the hypothetical reasons for the delay make Toboe worried, while the majority of them make him blush. Still, Kiba had promised to come back as soon as they found something, so Toboe thinks maybe they haven't found anything yet.

Which is bad news for his poor belly.

Letting out a little puff of breath, Toboe makes a subtle shift to the left, before remembering that Tsume is to his right. He waits for the sacred heat to die down in his cheeks before scooting over until he's flush against the older boy.

Tsume doesn't acknowledge his presence.

Toboe tells himself he's not disappointed.

Feeling obligated to start the conversation (as usual), he murmurs, "Tsume, my stomach hurts."

"What do you expect me to do about it?"

Unfortunately, Toboe hasn't thought ahead that far. "I don't...how do I make it stop?"

Tsume doesn't seem to feel like answering, and when Toboe glances at him sideways, Tsume has that, 'Oh, for the love of God' look on his face. It's the one where his eyes roll before glaring straight ahead, and his mouth droops a little. It's a handsome face to make, Toboe thinks. It's just too bad it's the sort of face Tsume only made when he was at the end of his rope.

And Tsume always seemed to be at the end of his rope when Toboe was involved.

With an indignant huff, as if he can hear what Toboe is thinking, Tsume's face softens into an indifferent stare. Still staring ahead, at a pile of bricks, he asks, "Why do you always have to look at me like that?"

Startled, Toboe asks, "Like what, Tsume?"

"Never mind." Before Toboe can offer an argument, he says, "Come here."

"Huh?"

"Damn kid," Tsume mutters. He doesn't sound mad, though. He slowly stretches out the legs he had pulled to his chest, making a visible effort not to shudder at the loss of warmth. Moving quick enough to shock the hell out of Toboe, the younger wolf finds himself nestled in the V of Tsume's legs.

"Ts-Tsume!" In his surprise, his arms have come unclasped from around his body, and oh, it hurts!

And before his hands can fly back into the assumed position, a large, freezing cold hand is slipping under his shirt. The horrible squawking noise that flies from his mouth is half from the cold, half from the fact that Tsume has a hand under his shirt, and half from the pain his belly is in. His mind is spinning.

"They're hunger cramps," Tsume explains in that deep voice of his, and his hand begins to move in small circles, putting pressure on just the right places.

Which is about the time Toboe feels his brain melt.

And even with it, he still wouldn't know what to do with his hands, which are braced on Tsume's knees awkwardly.

It doesn't hurt nearly as much now, and Toboe knows he's blushing as he squirms back into Tsume's arms. And it's meant as a thank-you when he turns his head, pushes up slightly, and licks the cold, pale skin of Tsume's neck.

And damn if that hand doesn't just push into his stomach.

Ow, ow, ow, but Tsume is rubbing slowly again, muttering, "Damn kid," and Toboe thinks it might be the phrase of the day, so this time Toboe delivers a few apologetic licks to Tsume's collarbone for being such a damn kid all the time.

Until footsteps come around the corner, and a loud, annoying Hige-voice cries, "HOLY SHIT!"

Toboe and Tsume spring apart so fast it hurts, and Toboe is left lying in a _very_ undignified heap at Hige's feet. The large loaf of bread nestled under Hige's arm falls and hits Toboe in the face, and it's _hard_.

"My eyes!" Hige cries, arms flailing madly. "Kiba, I've been blinded!"

Kiba comes running around the corner, asking in an alarmed voice, "What's wrong?"

Toboe watches Kiba survey the scene with alertness, until his eyes droop in indifference. "Hige, you're being overly dramatic again."

Hige cries, "OVERLY DRAMATIC?" just as Tsume mutters, "That's an understatement."

Feeling left out, and hurting once more, Toboe launches himself at the stiff-ish bread which has rolled a few feet away. He sinks his teeth into it, and almost misses it when Kiba kisses each of his blinded mates eyes softly.

"I can see!" Hige exclaims, and the first thing his sight targets is Toboe munching happily on the bread. Before he can run, Toboe is being attacked, and rolling around on the cold ground tangled with a hungry Hige. He knows he has the upper hand, because the bread is still in his mouth.

Hige makes his move next, by latching his mouth onto the other side of the bread. Toboe can't tell if the growling is coming from Hige's mouth or stomach, and for a second his compassion dies completely, because his stomach is growling louder.

Then they're kneeling across from one another, hands at their sides, like some unspoken rules.

Over on the side, Toboe hears Tsume say, "Please tell me this is hallucination from hunger."

Kiba replies slowly. "I don't think it is. But I'm willing to admit that I think you got the better deal."

Toboe blushes when Tsume snorts.

Apparently, Hige heard the conversation too, and breaks away from the bread with an indignant cry of, "Hey!"

'Victory!' Toboe thinks, before breaking the giant loaf in half. It's stiff enough that there is a small storm of crumbs when the two halves part, but Toboe is too hungry to care. He crawls back over to Tsume, who is looking more harassed by the second. He dumps the gross Hige half into Kiba's lap before crawling into Tsume's.

"See if I ever sleep with you again!" Hige stomps off, shooting a glare at Toboe for good measure.

Toboe and Tsume look at Kiba, whose looking at the bread with a small smile twitching at his lips. "I'm going to go make sure he doesn't go hungry."

"Fat chance," Tsume mutters, but Kiba ignores him.

And once again, they're all alone.

With the bread.

Toboe munches away happily, before pausing to pick off a crumbly piece. It's might get his hand bitten off, but he raises the piece to Tsume's mouth anyway. Tsume stares at him, like maybe he's gone crazy, from food depravation.

After a few silent moments go by, Tsume rolls his eyes, grunts, and opens his mouth. Toboe smiles sweetly and pushes the bread onto the tongue before him. His brown eyes grow painfully wide when Tsume's lips close around his finger.

"Ts-Tsume," he whispers.

Tsume just waits for a few minutes, before pulling back slowly, and his lips slide off of Toboe's finger with a quiet popping noise.

The pain is back in his stomach now, but it's a lot different than the painful cramping feeling before. The new pain feels kind of good, and he thinks maybe that's bad because he's still straddling Tsume's legs.

That having been done, Tsume plucks a piece of the bread while Toboe is still dazed and shoves it into his mouth. Toboe doesn't argue, so Tsume keeps doing it, and they eat silently until there's only one small mass of crumbles in the younger boys hand.

"You eat it, Tsume! I've had enough anyway!"

Tsume shrugs, and takes the last piece of bread, lifting it to his mouth. He hesitates, and Toboe opens his mouth to ask what's wrong, and Tsume smirks.

And stuffs the smallish bite into Toboe's slack mouth.

Which is about the time Toboe feels his heart melt.

He chews without thinking, trying to smile at the same time. It doesn't work, but he can offer a bright smile once he swallows. Tsume isn't saying anything (nothing new), just watching.

Feeling like maybe his heart will burst any second, Toboe leans forward and tilts up his face, lips pouting slightly.

Tsume chuckles, and murmurs an affectionate, "runt."

Then he kisses him.

Toboe doesn't really know what to do, which is okay, because Tsume seems content doing all the work. He shakes the crumbs off his hands before wrapping his arms around Tsume's neck, shivering when their chests push together. A whimper works its way past his lips into Tsume's mouth, which opens gently against his own. And he's got to talk himself into it, but finally decides it okay to nibble on Tsume's bottom lip.

It's the best moment of his life, even though he's kissing for the first time in the bitter cold, next to an empty trash can, in a city where everyone hates them for no reason.

"AH! MY EYES!"

Toboe flies back again, but this time the fall is broken by the legs he's been sitting on for who knows how long.

He's feeling way to euphoric to be embarrassed.

Still, he's blushing, and Hige is rubbing his eyes and moaning about being blinded right after he's seen the light. Kiba comes running once more, looking flushed and like his t-shirt is on inside out.

Toboe looks up, and Tsume is rolling his eyes and muttering to himself. Feeling at a loss, Toboe says the first thing that comes to mind.

"I'm thirsty."

-End-

Okay, okay. I know, I know. It's a wee bit late for a sequel, but I like to think it's fashionably delayed. Oh, yes.

So, leave me some love, or don't. But, remember this: I would, if I had just read it. In fact, I think I'll review myself right now.


End file.
